Incandescence
by wolfwriterGingey
Summary: Poland and Lithuania didn't just turn tables because Poland was stupid. It had a deep roots into their younger days, and what their relationship meant now. PolandxLithuania, though not much focus on the "romantic." Oneshot. Rated T for Tony.


**AN: Uh, hi, I'm the author and I'll try not to talk for three hours about how bad I am at writing xP. I didn't think there was near enough PolxLiet out there(god I love those two. Almost as much as America and England), so when this extremely random idea came to me about Poland and Lithuania changing a lightbulb I decided to go with it. FOUR DAYS LATER we have this thing. I could've written it in one if everyone didn't keep interrupting me! Bleh!**

**I am just going to say I love Russia. I really do. He's an epic character and Russia fans, please don't flame me for him being the unseen evil. I just did as POV demanded, and I doubt after what happened either Nation would be overly fond of our Vodka loving friend, know? **

**Also, RussiaxLithuania fans are probably going to be even more at my throat. I imagine things in my head and they always turn out completely different, I swear! Please don't send me to Siberia!**

**Ah, so my writing style sucks, my characters are probably way off the mark...I probably just wasted forever writing this for it be a piece of crap. Sorry if your eyes bleed reading it. It was fun to write, I must say...I tried not to contradict anything, though I didn't look up history for this or anything, I did jokingly try to get people to explain Polish interior design to me. I was told to put the stove in the fridge and the fridge went in the bathtub.**

**Uh, I guess I just came to the conclusion that because Poland bosses Lithuania around and stuff he really wouldn't function so well without his Liet around to do everything for him xD God, I love Poland. The selfish git. Even if I probably wrote him terribly, terribly wrong....He was supposed to be a bit off due to...circumstance, but meh, I just suppose I'm really good at mangling other people's characters....**

**Mostly referred to the Liet's Scars and Lightbulb changing strips...I'm not sure when this takes place...I wasn't sure exactly when the Liet's Scars strip took place, but obvious after that(maybe the same day?).**

**GAH! EDIT: FIVE DAYS AND HOW THE HELL DID I NEVER THINK "NATIONS ARE OLD AS DIRT! NO LIGHTBULBS BACK THEN!" Because I'm a complete utter _moron! _Because I'm too lazy to rewrite this in an attempt to rectify it, um....LET'S JUST CALL IT AU OR SOMETHING, I DON'T FREAKING KNOW, ALL I KNOW IS I FAILED, AND FAILED HARD, DAMMIT! **

**DISCLAIMER: My name is Katelyn, I am 15 years old, my writing is poor, and so is my art. Do you REALLY think if I claimed to own Hetalia I would do all that well?**

"Q : How many Poles does it take to change a lightbulb?"

------------------

Lithuania had noted on multiple occasions how remarkably simple some parts of Poland's house were compared to what one would expect.

Considering this is _Poland_ we're talking about, this puzzled him immensely.

One would expect it to be grand, elaborate, _fabulous._

And some parts of it were.

But that never seemed to extend to his light fixtures.

Lithuania never asked.

Because somehow, he just didn't want to know.

-----------

Poland sat across from Lithuania at a small wooden table in his kitchen with a confident smirk across his face. There was all of one light above them, and it was obviously going to burn out soon.

Lithuania turned to his right to look out a pair of big, glass doors. Poland's house was on top of a big hill, so as the landscape sloped sharply down he could see quite clearly the rye fields that were the livelihood of the country. A smile. Oh, the time he'd spent with Poland in the rye fields....

He looked down at the mud-colored liquid in a warm, lavender mug he had in his hands. Poland had come to the conclusion that hot chocolate was a _totally awesome _idea, and had also insisted it wasn't complete without those _"cute" _little marshmallows. When Lithuania, before being asked, got started on making the stuff, a very enthusiastic Poland came running over to him with a big bag of them, very pleased to show that he had found he _did _have the bag with a plethora of bright colors. Because color was _fabulous. _

Poland couldn't avert his gaze away from his partner as Lithuania seemed to stare off into space. Lithuania suddenly jerked his head around to face Poland with a big, goofy grin on his face, and Poland smiled warmly before coming to his senses and nonchalantly looking away, distracting himself with the bright pink mug he had set in front of himself. He hastily took a sip-trying to look as casual as he could, but that wasn't going to happen. Mmmm. French Vanilla. His favorite.

" How's it taste?" Poland heard his partner's voice pull him back to reality.

" Excellent!" he happily praised his partner_, after all,_ he added to himself, _you like, made it. _Usually, Poland would not hesitate to voice this thought. But now....Poland would tell himself nothing had changed. He and Liet were the same as they always were. Liet was him, together there could be no awkwardness. But no. That _bastard _Russia had come and taken Liet from him. At that moment...Poland's entire world was shattered. He pretended it didn't affect him. He pretended he was too strong to _need _Liet as badly as he knew deep down he _did. _And now he wondered if he was going to come to regret it. Because now he had reason to wonder if Liet still needed _him. _It didn't help that when they had been separated, Poland was too overcome by the shock to do anything but laugh deliriously as the only person in the world he cared about was ripped from him-right in front of his eyes. And Liet hadn't seen how hysterically he sobbed as soon as the two were out of his sights.

" I'm glad!"

Poland nodded and saw the lightbulb flicker above them. _Yes! Like, come on now you little bugger...you've totally got just a little more...!_

Poland _needed _this. He needed it to happen. _Something _to remind himself of the deep bond they shared.

Something to show him it was still _there, _the same as ever.

_Unbreakable._

Poland told himself he _couldn't _let their precious relationship be damaged by that Russian_ son of a bitch._

Poland _loved _Lithuania. And all those years he had told himself of _course _the feeling _had _to be returned! There was no one else, was there? But when that _bastard _took him away, Poland began to doubt the assumptions he'd believed so faithfully for so long. Even though he knew it was ridiculous, he even wondered if Lithuania could fall for the bastard himself. Russia always _seemed _to favor Liet above all others.....

But luckily for Poland, it wasn't so.

Unluckily for Poland, that _bitch _had to come along and shatter his dreams.

Lithuania was smitten.

And Poland's heart broke.

He remembered very well the first time he heard Liet talk about her.

_Belarus._

How could Lithuania just sit there-and talk about how _nice_ she was-while she _broke his fingers?_

" Belarus-chan is so cute..." the words make him want to _vomit. _But considering he was in his kitchen having a nice, if not slightly awkward, quiet time with Liet, that would be _totally uncool. _A hot blonde heaving up chunks of half-digested(if that) fluorescent fluff would just _so_ totally ruin it. And probably _not _taste as fabulous coming back up as it did going down.

And then there was the time when Poland first saw what the socialist bastard had _done _to Liet. The _horror _he experience, how _sickening _it was to see before his very eyes those marks left on his body, obviously painfully left there by that sadistic jackass. At that point he knew it. It was _painfully _obvious.

Poland wanted to _kill _that huge nation. Brutally. Slowly. _Painfully. _He wanted him to _pay _for everything he'd done. For taking Liet. For damaging their relationship. For laying a hand on Liet. For introducing Liet to that _bitch _who was about as bad as he was. Poland knew he probably never could achieve this, but even dreaming of that bastard at his feet, _begging _for mercy gave him a taste of the sweet satisfaction he knew he would never truly know.

There was so much he wanted to _say. _So much he didn't know how to convey, or if he really should. He couldn't ruin this. He absolutely had to get this right. This was their first night together in god knew how long, and he absolutely could not screw this up! He-

" Poland, are you okay...?" he heard Lithuania ask," You're zoning out...."

" Hmmmm?" came Poland's immediate, absent reply.

" Earth to Poland!" the other nation cried, reaching across the table to wave a hand in front of the Pole's face.

Without a thought, Poland snatched the other man's hand and held it tight in his grasp, examining it.

When he heard Lithuania let out a muffled noise of surprise and confusion, Poland hastily released his grip on his old partner's hand and turned his face away with a jerk to hide his embaressment.

" I-It's nothing, Liet..." he tried to justify. He had no alibi for _that._

But before Lithuania could utter any form of reply, the dim lightbulb above them flickered again and finally went out.

Forgetting his embaressment, Poland was overcome with unbridled joy, and it took all his willpower to _not _leap onto the table and shout "YES!" to the heavens at the top of his lungs.

"........" Lithuania regarded the darkness quietly as Poland took his partner's fixation with the ceiling as a perfect distraction that allowed him to sneak around and tackle him from behind.

" Haha, I like, totally got you, Liet!" he cried with a triumphant giggle.

" Ouch! _Poland!" _the taller nation cried indignantly.

" Come on!" Poland cried cheerfully, with a playful elbow to Liet," You should totally like, help me change the ligthbulb!"

Lithuania blinked and before he could protest with a," Oh, come on, you can do it yourself!" knew there was no way he would be able to refuse. Though it was dark, the moonlight shone in on them and the excitement he saw on Poland's face was like that of a child in a toy store.

" Fine...but really, aren't we getting a little old for this?" Lithuania whined.

" No. Way," Poland said, shooting him a grave glare," You like, _never _get too old to turn tables!"

Lithuania sighed. As many times as he told Poland it was much, _much _easier just to screw it in, Poland liked making Lithuania spin the table for him. It was fun........for him.

" I'll go get another lightbulb from the supply closet, you wait here!" Poland said, running off to find one.

Despite the fact that he really was not looking forward to this, Lithuania chuckled. Poland looked so excited he was going to wet himself. That was Poland for you.

Poland knew exactly where to get the lightbulb-he had made sure of it because he'd been hoping for the chance to do this. He couldn't have it too close, waiting for him to use, otherwise his eagerness to do this would be obvious and he'd just look pathetic. And that was _not _fabulous. No, he'd kept it far enough away....and he was prepared for a good lightbulb changing with Liet!

He remembered back when they were little Nation-tans, how this had started.....

-----------------

A small blonde boy with emerald green eyes sat in front of a mirror over twice the size of his tiny body, admiring himself. He posed, smiled at hismelf coyly, and let little giggles escape as he thought about just how darn _cute _he was!

Behind him approached another boy-a much taller brunette who also had green eyes-but his were much darker. In comparison to the energetic blonde, this child was reserved-to the point one would never guess how close they were to one another.

" U-um...Poland!" the little brunnette cried out nervously, trying to get the other, very self-absorbed child's attention.

" Oh, _Liet!" _cried Poland excitedly as he turned to see his friend," What do you like, think? Doesn't this look totally _adorable _on me?"

Lithuania paused, cringing at the name his smaller companion just called him. Poland may have been his best friend, but that didn't mean Lithuania had to _like _the nickname his friend had just randomly given him but a week ago.

" Um....you do know that that's for _girls _to wear, don't you?" he pointed out, gesturing to the bright yellow dress the little blonde had been referring to.

" Yes, but it just looks so like, _cute _on me, don't you think?" Poland grinned," So totally _better _than, like, on any of those _girls!"_

_" _Of course it does," Lithuania couldn't help but smile. Poland was so weird sometimes...wearing girls clothes, talking about fashion...but it was something Lithuania was used to.

Poland's attention was however, not on the newly-named "Liet" when he let out a gasp. The little blonde nation noticed a light turning off by itself in the next room.

" Did you like, see that, Liet?" he said, pointing towards it.

" No, I didn't," the taller Lithuanian replied, puzzled," What happened?"

" Not like, so loud!" the Pole whispered," I think there's totally someone in the house!"

His brunette companion's face grew grave, and with a nod, the two began to sneak over to the next room, and the shorter of the two reached out a hand to the larger, who took it without a second thought.

" I know you're like, in here!" Poland cried as he entered," Show yourself! Prepare to have your _ass_ totally handed to you by me-the great nation of Poland!"

" And his fearless partner, Lithuania!"

No answer.

" _Goddammit!" _Poland was throwing out the curses to make himself feel big, as usual," They totally left. Let's like, search the house!"

Lithuania nodded eagerly," Let's go!"

After hours of combing the house for any possible place the perpetrator could be hiding,(well, any place their young minds could conceive, meaning they were hardly the most effective team) the two finally returned to the room where the lightbulb had gone out and started this mess-their entire little "adventure."

" Now, Liet," the small nation said," To like, address the totally real problem. We need to like, change that lightbulb!"

They both sized up the situation.

" If we stand a table, maybe we can reach it?" the taller brunette suggested.

In the end, not only were they on a table, but Poland was standing on Lithuania's shoulders. Poland enjoyed the view immensely

" Now what?" Lithuania called, looking up at his friend.

" Now spin, like spin yourself around in circles and we'll totally put this thing in place!"

Lithuania did as he was told and Poland found it so enjoyable this became their standard lightbulb changing ritual. Little did he realize how dangerous this was, but luckily enough the hardworking Lithuania never dropped his partner-he did stumble, but he always caught himself in time. He couldn't allow Poland to get hurt.

Liet was dubbed the "Totally Official Lightbulb Changing Buddy."

Poor Lithuania.

-------

One day, Lithuania decided to question why he was always lifting _Poland._

" Why do you always have to be on top?"

" What are you talking about Liet? We're too young to do _that!"_

" I'm talking about-_wait, what did you just say?!"_

" Don't worry Liet, when we get to-"

" _I'm talking about changing lightbulbs."_

".....oh."

" If it's so fun, why don't I ever get a turn?"

" Because like, you're my totally cute lackey, and you're way bigger than me! I totally couldn't spin you! So it's like this instead of vice verso or whatever."

" Vice _versa."_

" Like, I totally said _'whatever!_'"

And that was the end of that discussion.

----------

As time went by, Poland realized something.

" Look, Liet! I'm totally tall enough to reach without standing on you!"

Liet was relieved by this, until...

" But we still need a way to get the bulb in...."

"Hmmmm..."

".....Oh my god, you could totally spin the entire table!"

" _What?!"_

" It'd be totally fun!"

A sigh," You could just spin yourself...."

" But that's totally _not _fun! And it's like, not the same without you! You're the 'Totally Official Lightbulb Changing Buddy.'"

Lithuania took one look at Poland's pouting face and knew he wouldn't be able to resist.

And so it began.

Lithuania's long history of table turning.

--------------------

Poland returned to his partner with a lightbulb in hand and grin across his face. Without a word he leapt onto the table-as flashily as possible, with the typical flamboyance of Poland-and unscrewed the old lightbulb, disposing of it. He stood ready in position and with a dramatic hand motion with his free arm he cried," GO!"

Lithuania, right on cue, began running, pulling the table along as best as he could. Luckily the floor was hard and without a carpet-otherwise this would be nigh impossible.

As slowly as it went, Poland looked like he was enjoying himself up there-as usual. This was enough to make Lithuania happy, seeing him so happy with something so simple. A sigh. There was no demands of "Faster!" or the like coming from his Polish companion's mouth as per usual.

Poland not acting so selfish?

What was up with that?

Lithuania shrugged it aside, but he knew that without Poland's demanding and nagging he wasn't near as motivated. Poland's selfishness may be annoying, but one got used to it to the point it became almost a bittersweet thing to them.

---------------------

It had taken long enough, but the two finally got the lightbulb screwed in. And as soon as the deed was declared done, Lithuania let go and sat on the kitchen floor, panting and exhausted.

Poland, however, was too busy whooting victory cries atop the table to notice.

" YES! Haha, you puny lightbulb, you have been totally defeated by me!" With as much flair as ever, Poland leapt off the table and turned to face his partner," Hey, Liet, you like, gonna die over there?"

" Nah, I'll be okay," came the reply as he tried to catch his breath.

" Oh. Good. I totally don't want corpses in my kitchen," the Pole offered a hand to his friend, who took it with a," Thanks."

The blonde smiled, and with a yawn, said," It's gotten totally late with all this table turning and like....stuff. You ready to like, sleep?" A nod," Good, like, come on then!" he said, grabbing Lithuania's hand and dragging him up the stairs.

As the pair reached a landing, Poland took a step onto the next flight of stairs, grabbing the rail, and then unexpectedly stopped. Wide eyed, he had some sort of sudden epiphany.

_He couldn't take it anymore._

Where...where had this come from?

" Liet..."

" Hm?"

" We're....like, partners, aren't we?"

" Yeah...."

" What does.....that totally _mean? _W-w-what_....kind _of like, partners, would you say?_"_

A puzzled Lithuanian did not stop to wonder why he asked-he just answered," Well, we're friends, we help each other.....uh...we work in the fields together...go to war together..."

" I see...."

" Yeah, and....uh...."

".......Liet?" Poland turned to face Lithuania and let out a deep sigh. Here he went....he couldn't believe he was going to say this. But...he had to _know. _Or...something.

" Yes?"

" Would you....can we, like.....how about....ngh...."

" Huh?"

" Why don't we.....ah...._let's totally become a completely hot item!"_

"W-WHAT?!"

" I totally _love _you, Liet!" And with that the Pole, suddenly and unexpectedly, pulled his "partner" close and pressed their lips together in a quick, soft kiss. Lithuania froze in shock at what had just-was-happening, and immediately after Poland let go of him roughly and fell to the ground, sobbing.

" P-Poland?!" Lithuania called out to his partner in confusion.

_"_ I...I completely, totally, _need _you Liet," Poland managed to sob out," So....you...you can't....I won't ever....you can't like, _ever _leave me again! I totally can't lose you!"

Lithuania sunk to the ground in front of his friend, and gently put his hands on either of the blonde's shoulders," Poland....come....look at me....calm down for a second and just _look at me," _he did," I will....as long as I can help it...do anything within my power to make sure that I won't ever have to leave you like that again. Okay? So you can relax, right? I'll stay by your side..." He pulled his shorter partner close and hugged him. In response, Poland wrapped his arms around the taller nation and pulled him closer.

" Good....because, like....you're mine, Liet. I can't let...like, Russia.....America...._Belarus...._ever, ever have you. You're _mine. _You can't....like...you can never...be...theirs. They can't have you. They just _can't!_ They may totally want you, and like, who wouldn't? But I totally _need _you."

Lithuania smiled sadly as he held his friend in his arms, his friend who was blubbering _hysterically _going on and on about how much he _needed _him. Lithuania was still confused about what had happened, but he knew he dare not bring it up for awhile. That wouldn't help at all right now. Poland was crying. Poland was upset. It wasn't what Poland needed.

But Poland needed _him._

----------------------------

It took several minutes for Poland to pull himself together again, but once he did, he stood up, blank-faced, and went right back to business. And so the Pole led his Lithuanian companion the rest of the way up the stairs, to stop only in front of his bedroom.

" Goodnight, Poland..." Lithuania said softly, staring intensely at his partner who seemed to be far off somewhere...

" Huh?"

" I said goodnight. I'm going to my room. You know, to sleep?"

" You're going to_ your_ room?" Poland sounded as shocked as he would've if Lithuania had told him he was going to Cuba to become an exotic dancer.

" Yeah, so?"

" But...but we....we totally always like, slept together!"

" You hog the covers."

" I totally do _not!"_

" Do too. You may not realize it, but when you fall asleep, you grab them all for yourself."

" Well, my subconscious must know how totally amazing I am! But _Liet! _You totally can't do that! I like, promise I won't hog them _this_ time! I totally won't! Please? _I totally missed you..._"

" Poland...." One look at the sad blonde's face was enough, it was like a magic spell," Fine.....just don't complain if I wake you up to make you give me some blanket."

They were sharing a bed.

Just like old times.

The shorter nation's face immediately lit up, and with a jerk he pulled Lithuania into his very bright room with him.

The walls were golden yellow, the carpet hot pink, the curtains blood red, the ceiling bright orange-the list went on and on. The room was a mess of what one might think a clashing, confused color scheme, but Poland made this bright room work. Somehow.

" Didn't the walls used to be purple?" Lithuania observed.

Poland nodded," Yeah, I decided it was totally time for a fabulous update! Do you like? It goes totally well now! Like, it's a 'warm' color theme, you know?"

" Oh....I see," replied the other, who really had absolutely no clue but knew better than to say otherwise if he didn't want a lecture.

" You totally don't like it, do you? You like, completely don't understand fashion, Liet!"

" What does that have to do with anything?!"

" It just like, does...."

" I like it."

" You're totally getting it, Liet."

" Of course I am. I do spend so much time around you, and you're _oh so fabulous."_

" And don't you like, forget it!"

" I won't be anytime soon," the Lithuanian said with a smile.

" Well, I'm going to like-oh, wait, I totally have a surprise for you!"

" Do I want to know?"

" You totally do, you _totally _do! So I'm like, going to change. Hold on a second!"

Lithuania sighed as his friend trotted happily over to his walk-in closet and locked himself inside it. What kind of strange, _fabulous _outfit would he come out wearing? One could only imagine the kind of things he'd added to his extensive wardrobe while Lithuania wasn't around....

Lithuania let out a sigh. It was good to see Poland's room again...but after what Poland just said, the thought of them sleeping in the same bed like they used to seemed a little weird. Lithuania decided he would just have to deal with it, because he could see how much it seemed to mean to Poland...and he also told himself not to ask about what Poland had said to him on the staircase until at_least _the next day....

A few moments later, the door flew open as a very happy looking Poland strut out wearing....a school uniform?! Not only that, but a _girl's _school uniform?!

" Like, what do you think? Isn't it totally cute?!"

" What _is _it?"

" Like, it's called a _sera fuku! _Japan gave it me as a like, present! Wasn't that totally awesome of him?"

" Uh, yeah...."

" I mean, just look at this totally _cute _little skirt! And the stocking? To like, _die _for!"

" Uh...yep..._nice..."_

" And like, _all _the young girls in Japan totally wear them! Isn't that fabulous? And entire like, country of wonderfully dressed people, that _totally _blows my mind!"

" Fabulous....Poland...." Lithuania was used to listening to Poland's endless rambles. This is a crime against fashion, aren't these shoes so cute? It was almost nice to hear his tangents again...

" Okay, well, I'd totally better get in to my pajamas, like, right?"

A nod. " Hey Poland....my stuff is in my room, right?" Lithuania asked.

A nod in reply," Yeah, so like, go change, but you'd better come back!"

" I know, I know...."

Lithuania smiled and with a salute as if to say," _Look at me! So good and obedient!" _walked out of the room and made his way to his own.

Lithuania certainly was good at being the lackey.

Poland made his way back into his extensive closet and immediately threw off his new sera fuku, gently picking it up off his pink floor and hanging it back up neatly immediately after as thought it was an afterthought-because it was. Fabulous clothing stayed fabulous well taken care of. This was Poland's policy...when he remembered it.

Poland wanted to kick himself for how this was going. Poland was nervous, hoping he wouldn't slip up.....and the awkwardness between the two left in the wake of their separation was growly more and more painfully obvious. And boy did he mean _painfully. _What happened to how they were? So close nothing felt awkward, _ever. _Lithuania felt as comfortable with Poland as if they were the same person, as different as they were.

So where, where, oh where had this terrible new development come from?

_Him._

That Russian bastard again. It all led to him, it could all be blamed on him...didn't it? Poland was sure the bastard would like that. Would like to know what he had done to Poland's relationship with Liet, the most important person in Poland's world, like to know how every one of Poland's problems seemed to lead to him _somehow. _It would make the bastard feel special. _Powerful. Influential._

Poland didn't like it. He didn't want that bastard to have that satisfaction. He couldn't let him....couldn't let him cause so much pain. How could he be so weak as to let one person do that to him?

But wasn't Liet one person?

Wasn't this all because of _him?_

But no, Poland told himself. Liet was _different._

And still, Poland was disgusted. What had happened to him? So strong, not effected by anyone, he said. He was not all that concerned with his manhood-he enjoyed wearing _skirts _after all, but his pride as a male was his strength. Not physically, but otherwise? He didn't want to rely on anyone. Anyone but Liet. And even then, he told himself, he was weak for being so devasted, so useless, so pathetic without his "other half", as even though that is a term usually reserved for lovers, it seemed to fit the two's relationship quite nicely in a non-sexual fashion, at his side.

He had to admit how much he needed Lithuania. How much his "lackey" truly _meant _to him. He had hated to admit to it at first...

And he had grown okay with that, he supposed. But then...

He couldn't let Liet know this. To be so weak, to rely on someone else so much, was one thing, but it was one thing you kept a close guarded secret. For Liet to know? For Poland to allow himself to trip up and be so damn awkward with he who Poland was supposed to fit with so well? What was wrong with him?

And then he couldn't take it anymore. Couldn't _bear _the mere thought of ever, _ever, _losing sight of Liet again. Liet was his, _his, _his alone, only his. Poland couldn't have it any other way, it had to be...he couldn't bear the thought of Liet with anyone but him. Because, he told himself, nobody else needed Liet the way he did. So Liet _had _to be his, right?

But that had absolutely nothing to do with Liet's will.

After all the time apart, Poland grew paranoid. What if Liet found someone he liked better? Someone who didn't boss him around and treat him as a lackey...? Someone who _wasn't _Poland? It could happen, he said, for now that Lithuania had been taken by that bastard, his little world had opened up a whole lot more, and Poland had been forced to open or close his to survive. Poland couldn't bear the thought of opening himself up to anyone else, he thought, so he tried to stick it out on his own. He formed alliances as he needed to, but that was something he had always done. But he never had felt so alone, and even if he did find someone else to be around, he would still feel just as alone, if not more. It could never come close to filling the void-no, on the contrary, it would just be a painful reminder it was there.

And there would be no guarantee Liet could-would-ever come back to him. Even if he managed to free himself from that bastard, what reason would he really have to come back to Poland? Poland needed him, Poland _loved _him...but what about what Lithuania thought? They certainly wouldn't match up, would they? And yet he still hoped-tried to believe-he would get his Liet back and things would just back to exactly the way they were beforehand. Things wouldn't change. They'd stay the same, and try to remain that way forever.

But life just didn't do that, did it?

No, Poland and Lithuania had done the inevitable-they'd drifted, changed.

And they had to find a way to fit back together with each other.

Poland needed that to happen very, very badly.

-----------------------------

Meanwhile, Lithuania slowly walked through the threshold to his old room. It did not contain the demons say, his old room at Russia's place surely would if he went back, but it still pained him to see it a little, yet all the same made him ridiculously happy. This was the house he had lived in all those wonderful years with Poland. This was the bed he slept in once they decided to sleep apart...this was many a happy memory from before Russia had ripped him from his partner and taken him to work like a dog.

Poland may have been demanding and selfish, but there was definite caring for one another involved in their relationship. Ah, and now....what was this _love _Poland just proclaimed to him on the stairs? Lithuania was embaressed to think about it...he had just been _kissed..._by...by _Poland _of all people?! It was confusing. Did he love Poland? Sure, as a friend, a brother...a...a what? Maybe he wouldn't be coming out and asking Poland about it...

Russia? He shuddered at the thought. Russia told Lithuania how he did things out of love....Lithuania shuddered at the mere thought of the phrase _Russia's love. _

He shook himself. He didn't want to think about this anymore....he was always so good at simply pushing his troubles aside, for the sake of appearing happy and well under any circumstances. And yet no one else was here. It was just Lithuania. He had no one to put on the happy charade for...no one to perform for..except himself.

He didn't want anyone to worry. He couldn't bear the thought of being a burden. Rather, he preferred others be a burden to him, though since he never really minded much, no one was one.

Lithuania, expecting a cold night with no blanket, grabbed a warm looking pair of light blue pajamas. With a sigh he pulled off his shirt, and before putting it neatly into a hamper like Lithuania always diligently did-seeing as he did most of the housework-Lithuania stopped. He gently dropped the shirt onto the ground in front of him, and reached a hand carefully behind his back.

He slowly ran his fingers over the rough skin where the scars left by Russia where-he could feel them, trace the outline, and remember, always remember...never forget....never push forward cheerfully and forgive easily...he could never...allow himself to...

Touching the old scars hurt. Not on the outside-that had long since past, and he had, at that time, tried to get through it without a wince, or any sort of signal that he _was _indeed in pain, that would worry the others and please Russia, he knew-but deep inside himself. It hurt. And in a way, it sickened him. He felt wrong. He had always told himself he was glad it was him. He didn't want it to be anybody, but he couldn't bear to have found this had happened to someone else while he lay unharmed. No, better he the favorite, the one who silently suffered more-his silence about the matter possibly only encouraged Russia to do more-than the others. He couldn't bear to think of Russia doing this to any of the others. Especially poor little Latvia. Latvia wouldn't be able to handle it. Wouldn't take it. He would crumble, break...and Russia probably wouldn't care all that much if he did.

Being the favorite, Lithuania always got special treatment, and Russia would even go out of his way to protect him-from other people. To Lithuania, Russia's actions just never seemed to make any semblance of sense at all. Was it an "only I'm allowed to do that to him" type of deal? Russia's display of affection was definitely not pleasant. When Russia mentioned anything that suggested such in passing, Lithuania knew what would be coming....

It was a like a dream, remembering. Nay, to call it a dream was blantant mislabeling. It was a nightmare, the pure terror of it haunted his sleep regularly.

And he would without a doubt always remember. There was no forgetting what went on...his life under Russia's roof. No, if the nightmares weren't enough, with Russia looming over him with his pipe...there were the marks he bore upon his back. They would never fade away and disappear. They would remain a part of him, a constant reminder....forever. He felt like a branded cattle thinking about it, as if Russia had inflicted these wounds to say to him, "No matter what you do, where you go, what you become, who you're with...you will always, deep down, belong to _me."_

Lithuania shuddered at the very idea, and bent over slowly to pick up the shirt he had dropped moments ago. _Poland's going to start wondering where I am..._he thought to himself, _and if he comes in looking for me....he'll see my...._

Lithuania hadn't the slightest clue that Poland had already seen them. And Lithuania never, ever intended to let Poland find out. This restricted him some-he could never shed his shirt while working in the rye fields on a hot day for fear of Poland seeing the marks on his bare back, but Lithuania wasn't too worried about it. He'd definitely suffered far worse in silence, that would be nothing...he didn't want Poland to know....worry...

Lithuania quickly threw on the shirt of his pajamas. Then, he changed his pants, and clutching the clothes he'd worn that day, walked over a hamper and tossed them in. He smiled, already having pushed away the thoughts he just had. Oh, remembering all the times he'd picked up all the clothes Poland left over the house, considering Poland hardly _ever _remembered how "taking fabulous care of his clothes kept them fabulous", Lithuania had to take "fabulous care" of them for him. Not that he really minded....

He made his way over to Poland's room....

-----------------------

When Lithuania arrived he noticed Poland smiling mischievously at him. One look to the ceiling explained it: There was a lightbulb out on the light fixture above their heads, and Lithuania knew what that meant...

" I'll go get a table..." he sighed.

" It's totally okay Liet," Poland said, with a wry grin," We'll get it like, first thing tomorrow! But we totally _will _get it."

" Alright then...looks like there's an early morning workout waiting for me tomorrow..."

" That's like, totally the spirit, Liet!" he beamed at him," Nice like, pajamas. Have you ever like, considered something a little more _fabulous? _I mean, that shade of blue so...._plain..."_

Lithuania studied his partner's choice of sleepwear at the mention of his own boring the little diva. It wasn't all that flashy-just a green shirt and pants.

" You're not all that fabulous tonight yourself," Lithuania remarked.

" Oh, _oh yes I am!" _Poland squeed with delight, reminding Liet of a girl-as Poland often did," I totally am! Just totally wait until I like, turn the lights out!"

Poland then proceeded to happily skip to the light switch and turn it off-revealing his green pajamas happened to be _glow in the dark._

" Isn't it sexy?" he asked," Like, glowing pajamas..."

" Very.....interesting."

" Well, I suppose we'd like, better turn in! We've got some serious lightbulb changing work to do like, tomorrow!"

Poland grabbed his partner by the arm and led him in the dark toward his double bed that they would be sharing tonight.

" I even like, pulled out an extra blanket totally just for you!"

....why had they never thought of this before?

Poland never would have. Poland would have never considered...what was up with Poland? Lithuania decided not to ponder it too hard right now...he just wanted to enjoy sleeping before the morning's inevitable table turning. It was like Poland had tried to make all his lightbulbs burn out once so Lithuania could change them with him! And yet nowadays Poland seemed more considerate. It was a weird thing, but not one Lithuania thought he couldn't live with.

Lithuania thought he could get used to this new, considerate Poland.

Too bad it wasn't going to last.

The two crawled into bed, Lithuania on the left, Poland on the right-as per what always had been usual before. Some habits never died.

And as the blonde Pole in the glow-in-the-dark pajamas and the brunette Lithuanian in the apparently not-fabulous warm blue pajamas lay next to each other, trying to drift off to sleep, they both thought....maybe things weren't so different. Maybe they hadn't changed as much. Maybe things weren't going to be awkward for the first time....ever. Maybe they were as comfortable as ever.

And it never donned on either of them that things weren't so different. Some of the things that the two felt kept hem from their old closeness, knowing everything about one another, weren't new. They had always been there, under the surface of it all. Lithuania had always chosen to suffer in silence, never complain, and Poland had always felt he had to hide his weaknesses, his dependence on anyone-even if it was glaringly obvious-from the world. Even from Liet himself. He could act as if he used Liet as a convenience, yet never show how hopelessly lost he was without the brunette at his side. It had always been this way. Their inseparableness was not to be questioned, but the fact that they were so close nothing could be kept secret couldn't have been more false. Each felt as if the other poured their soul out on display for the other while they guilty kept something inside themselves, and neither understood just how much the other kept from him. But they both got along and survived day by day, together...side by side.

And so maybe their perfect closeness was a lie. A fantasy they had both unwittingly created for themselves while facing their separation. Neither had ever imagined their relationship perfect, but neither ever imagined just how large the amount of things they didn't know about each other truly was. Many of the secrets that they felt were keeping them apart now where there then, and they had managed.

Something had to have changed over the years, that was fact.

But maybe things weren't as different as either Nation always assumed.

" Goodnight, Liet..." Poland whispered as he rolled over to face away from the other.

" Goodnight, Poland..." his partner replied with a warm smile on his face as he did the same.

-----------------------

_Poland was on his roof. He had no clue how he got there, or how he was ever going to get down again._

_He gazed out at the rye fields with this great bird's-eye view. The rye crops...what had happened to them?!_

_A strange pattern appeared to have been cut in them..._

_What could have done it?_

_Just then, the Pole realized he was not alone on the roof._

_He was being approached by a small, gray bipedal....thing. Well, everything was gray for some reason-the entire world was on grayscale._

_" W-what...w-who....like, are you?" he asked to the thing before him, not even sure it spoke any language human beings could understand._

_" Goddammit, my fucking name is Tony."_

_" I....see."_

_" You have this human, yes?" He saw a floating image of Lithuania materialize in front of him. Shocked, he didn't say a word, but nodded to the creature," You'd better take fucking good care of him."_

_" WHAT?!"_

_" Fucktard! He used to live with a friend of mine. But this is nowhere near Alfred's home. Can't fucking protect him if he's not near my fucking home anymore, now can I?"_

_" Protect....Liet?"_

_" From that fucking psycho bastard. He lives closer to him now than he fucking did with us...so you'd better do a fucking good job!"_

_" Why do you care about Liet?"_

_" He was fucking fun, alright?"_

_" Um..okay then..."_

_" You'd better do it, or else." _

_The little thing turned and began to run. Poland couldn't help but say," What're you gonna do if I don't?" defiantly._

_Suddenly, without warning, it's eyes turned red, defying the grayscale, and it warned in a deep voice," Don't fucking test me, human."_

Poland immediately tried to spring up in bed, but found himself hindered by something. _The rye fields! Wait..huh? _He looked down at his abdomen. _Something _had managed to wrap itself around his midsection. And that something seemed to be...._Liet's arm._

Poland couldn't help but smile as he lay back down to go back to sleep. He shot a glance toward Liet-sleeping without disturbance, good. Quickly, Poland reached over and ran a hand across Liet's forehead, through his hair. Poland wasn't alone anymore. He had Liet. He wanted him always there, by his side.

Poland couldn't've guessed the nightmares his sleeping companion was having, how he had unconsciously reached out to find some form of comfort-apparently his hand was satisfied by latching onto his partner around the middle. It wasn't always Poland who needed Liet, sometimes it was Liet who needed Poland.

Poland couldn't help but think as he tried to fall back asleep, _isn't Alfred America's....? _No, no, just a meaningless dream, he told himself...still, there were lots of "alien sightings" over there....

Best not think about it too much, he decided, as he knew he would do anything to keep someone from taking Liet again anyway. Because he didn't want to...couldn't live without him, he told himself. He needed Liet by his side, needed his partner. Poland could always count on Liet, and Liet had always been there. And Liet said he'd stay by his side, right where Poland needed him. Poland loved Liet and Liet....

_Liet was his._

-------------

"A: Only one, as long as he's always got his Lithuanian partner around to turn the table."

**AN: Whew, _that _was a LOT longer than I had anticipated! Yes, glow in the dark pajamas. Yes, Poland does not seem to enjoy puking up brightly colored marshmallows in front of Liet. _Not fabulous!_**

**......I don't really know about that dream thing. I had planned to make reference to Lithuania's Out-Sourcing, but since I never did I kinda just...threw that in because I thought it was funny. Coincidence or alien dream manipulation technology? You decide.**

**Reviews are love, even bad ones. Critique is my friend. Heck, maybe someone -actually- liked it(though I doubt it since it probably sucks). Buuuut I understand what it's like to be lazy...maybe if I weren't so lazy my writing would be a lot better.....**

**Thanks for reading, if you actually got through the entire thing!**


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